Voices: Our veterans are worth fighting for

Veterans Day is a time to reflect back on the many sacrifices it takes to preserve our American ideals and freedoms, and to thank those who gave so much. We use the phrase ‘freedom isn’t free’ often, but what does it truly mean? Taking the time to talk one on one with Louisiana veterans provides valuable perspective.

Representing you in Congress, we have the privilege to meet with thousands of Louisianans every year. Many of the most special meetings we have are those with veterans. The most rewarding thing about these meetings is to simply sit, listen, and allow these veterans to speak. Many times, what you’ll hear will amaze you. It makes us ever more grateful for the sacrifice these brave men and women have made to protect all of us.

That’s what makes the ongoing issues with the Department of Veterans Affairs even more infuriating. This system was set up to provide the specialty care and expertise our veterans require. Unfortunately today, the VA isn’t even meeting the basic needs of many veterans. For years in Lafayette and Lake Charles, veterans have been faced with the choice of driving to Alexandria, Houston, or New Orleans to seek specialty care, despite the fact that some have health conditions that make it difficult to travel. This is not acceptable.

To counteract this, we led the charge over the past several years to win authorization from the VA for a full Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Lake Charles, and an expanded CBOC in Lafayette. But the VA drug its feet, botching a contract several years ago and derailing the whole process, forcing us to win authorization from Congress. Once we accomplished this goal, we made sure top VA officials were personally aware of the situation, which prompted VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson to travel to South Louisiana and meet with local veterans directly. After seeing the state of VA care in our communities firsthand, Gibson authorized two secondary clinics to supplement the full CBOCs.

While this was a welcome announcement as they say, once burned, twice shy. We have been adamant this go-around that the VA update us every step of the way, weighing in and correcting the agency several times for mishaps including another botched contract agreement delaying one of the Lafayette clinics by months, and misreporting the address of one of the Lake Charles clinics to area veterans. We have also made it clear that local veterans are to be involved in this process — no input is more valuable than that of the men and women who will ultimately visit these clinics.

We haven’t sat around waiting while the VA moves toward the construction of these clinics, either. We’ve worked together to expand access for veterans in underserved communities like Lafayette and Lake Charles to seek care in the private sector. We’ve fought the VA’s poor timely payment record, risking the credit of veterans around the country who have waited years for the VA to pay its bills. And we’ve held the VA accountable, introducing legislation that would deny bonuses for underperforming staff, because we know no successful small business could survive by rewarding employees with such poor track records.

While we wish there was a way to wave a wand and erase all the VA’s problems overnight, we’ve found the only way to force the VA to change is through constant, forceful, and thorough oversight. We won’t let the VA get away with a single slip-up that costs our veterans. The stakes are too high, and our veterans have waited too long.

We will continue to do our part ensuring the VA keeps its promises to these brave men and women. That’s because we strongly believe if there’s anyone worth fighting for, it’s those who fought for us.

— Charles Boustany is a U.S. representative. David Vitter is a U.S. senator and a candidate for Louisiana governor.